Plural armature relay



July 3, 1951 Filed Nov. 26, 1948 H. PERKINS 2,559,199

PLURAL ARMATURE .RELAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 liq- 39 25 48 27 L 5/ 5a 28 4a m/wm.

ATTIJ RN EYS y 1951 H. PERKINS 2,559,199

PLURAL ARMATURE RELAY Filed Now 26, 1948 2 s s 2 e E2 L7 INVENTQR. Hubert Per fins. Frg. Z

A'ITD RN EYE Patented July 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLURAL ARMATURE RELAY Hubert Perkins, Columbia, S. 0.

Application November 26, 1948, Serial No.--6-2,015

2 Claims My present invention relates to the general class of electromagnetic circuitmakers and circuit breakers, and more specifically to an improved series plural armature relay which while well adapted for various purposes and in electric circuits is especially designed for use in controlling supplementary circuits fromamotor circuit operating on a variable .current, without materially reducing or interfering with the effectiveness of the motor circuit. The primary purpose of the invention is the provision of an electromagnetic instrument .of this type for signaling or controlling any additional circuit that is compactly arranged, eilicient and reliable in the performance of its functions, and extremely sensitive to impulses or pulsations so that it may start functioning with a minimum voltage, and thereafter-continue to operate on a substantially increased voltage, depending upon the size and winding of the coils in the electromagnet .of the relay. The instrument includes a minimum number of parts that may be manufactured with facility and low cost of production, and the parts may be assembled with convenience, to assure an appliance that may easily be installed in selected circuits where it is readily accessible for servicing when required.

The relay consists in certain novel features'of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts involving two electromagnetic switches that are closed under force of the flowing electric currents, and two automatically actuated circuit-breakers operating under force of gravity, as will hereinafter be described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete example of the relay in which the parts are combined and arranged in accord with one mode I have-devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention. It will however be understood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical as well as electrical structures, within the scope of my claims, without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a relay in which my invention is physically embodied; and Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure .of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a tranverse vertical sectional .yiew at line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Figure 4 is a detailperspective view of one of the counterbalanced or overbalanced operating arms that form armatures ;of the electromagnet.

Figure 5 is a side view in-elevation as seen from theleftiniig. 1; .and Figure=6 is a similar View as seen from the right in .Fig. -1; and

Figure 7 is a-centra1 verticallongitudinal view asat line l-Tof Fig.2.

In this preferred formof the invention Lemploy an undergrooved-or elevated baseplate lof suitable insulated or non-eelectrical conducting material .upon which the electromagnetincluding an energizingspool or .coil .2.is mountediand the coil is encased within acylindrical jacketd having end heads 4 and :5. fllheelectroma-gnet is retained by an exterior binding band .6 which is rigidly mountedat' itslower endbyananchoring foot or lug :1 passed through .a slot .in the base plate, and .at the upper .end the v.band .is similarly anchored to an upright supporting bracket 8 preferably of "brass.

The lower horizontal flange of the angular bracket 8 is secured by screws 9 :to the :base :I, and hard fiber insulating pads 10 .and ll are interposed between the .electromagnet and the upper curved part of the bracket, as well as between the magnet and the base plate, for -r etaining the magnetin fixed, position.

The coil of the qelectromagnet is preferably made up of wound sections of wire, in multiple laminated windings, about a hard rolled steel bore bar it, and one ,of the wires as I3is con.- nected to .a circuit terminal L4, while'the other wire I5 is connected to the terminal 16, both mounted upon the base and connected in a selected primary circuit, and the wires are extended to a moto ther @PDHQDCQ- The laminated sections of thecoil, in uniform lengths of wire, are soldered together at their beginning ends, as well as at "their f nal ,ends, to provide the two terminals for :the multiple laminated coils, and this arrangement of the wires produces several independent coils in ,a parallel formation.

The size, length of wire, and number of'laminations are so arranged according to the voltage, as to provide theleast-possibleresistance to the-motor circuit and at the same time produce the maximum magnetic force in the relay coil.

Due to this parallel formation of the coils, the coils act simultaneously,undergforce ,of the energizing electric current passing through the laminated coi1of the electromagnet and the current is proportionately divided between each .sectionmf the magnetic coil, thus producing .a combined action or force superior to .thatiattained:b.y the .use of a .single larger wire.

The oppositelends of the horizontally adisposed core bar [2, which project through the heads 4 and 5, are reduced and externally threaded to receive clamping cap nuts 11, H, and insulating washers l8, I8, are interposed between the nuts and the end heads of the jacket. These protruding ends of the bar are each fashioned with outwardly opening recesses in which are mounted stationary switch contacts or points 19 and 20, of tungsten or platinum, that are insulated from the core [2 by jackets 2| having insulating washers 21a and 2H). These washers are clamped in position by the nuts with an insulated. entering wire 22 connected to a terminal 23, and a second insulated wire 24 connected to terminal 25 of the base, each of which wires are passed through slots in the washers 8, and the points it and 20 are thus completely insulated from the core l2.

For coaction with the stationary switch points in the ends of the core bar, the movable points of the switches are mounted in a pair of oppositely arranged, angular and counter-weighted operating arms that are pivotally mounted over the opposite ends of the electromagnet and oscillated in one direction by electromagnetic force, and in the reverse direction by force of gravity.

For this purpose an inverted channel shaped and overhanging supporting frame 25, of magnetic conducting material, which includes a flange or side bar 271 secured to the frame by screws 28, is located over the electromagnet, and fastened by screws 29 to the upper flanged end of the supporting bracket 8.

As best seen in Fig. 4 each of the two angular operating arms 30 and 3|, includes a magnetic depending portion that forms an armature for the electromagnet and a horizontal brass head that forms the overbalancing weight of the arm, and each of these arms is provided with a pair of axially alined pivotal trunnions 32 and 33 that are journaled in bearings in the opposite ends of the frame 25-21. One end of a trunnion as 33 of the operating arms 33, 3| is tubular to receive and retain an insulated brush contact 45, which is held by friction and connected to wires 36 and 371 respectively, through a slot in arm 3!. The armature portion of the arm 30, which is movable, is equipped with a switch contact point 34 for coaction with the stationary switch terminal oint I9 at the entering end of the core bar, and the other movable armature portion of the operating arm 3| is provided with an insulated contact piece 35 for coaction with th stationary contact terminal 20 and the core bar, and contact 35 is connected by insulated wire 36 to insulated brush contact 46 through the slotted pivotal portion and trunnion of arm 3!.

The angular counterweighted heads of the two operating arms also control a pair of circuit makers and circuit breakers mounted in operative relation to the magnetic conducting frame 23- 21, and the wire 37 connected at one end through slotted pivotal portion of the arm 30 to insulated brush contact 46, with other end connected to an insulated contact 38 in its head which coacts as the movable element of the circuit maker and breaker with a stationary contact terminal 39 that is mounted in and insulated from the magnetic conducting frame 26-2'l; and wire 44 from contact 39 is connected down through base to termina1 44a, see Fig. 2, as the first of two circuit breakers.

The second circuit maker and circuit breaker includes the counterweighted head of the operating arm 3! which is equipped with a contact 42 that moves with the head and is grounded on 4 the frame, and this contact coacts with a fixed terminal contact 43 insulated from and mounted in the frame 25--2I, and wire 40 from contact 43 is extended to terminal 45 of the base plate i.

The laterally projecting end, as 45 of one of the trunnions of each of the operating arms is insulated in the tubular end of trunnion and connected through slot in 31 to wires 36-3? respectively and frictionally held in place for the free ends of a spaced pair of conducting brushes 4? and 48 to bear against. Each brush at its inner end is hinged at 49 in a flanged bearing bracket 50, and coiled springs 5| are mounted between the bracket and the brushes for resiliently holding down the brushes in frictional and electrical contact with end 46 which is mounted in the trunnions. The brackets are fastened by screws upon an insulating block 52 that is attached to and mounted on the outer face of the upright supporting bracket 8. One of the brushes as 4? is connected by wire 53 to a terminal 54 of the base plate, and the other brush 48 is connected by wire 55 to the terminal 56 of the base plate.

The entering terminal 59 is connected through wire 58 to and grounded on supporting bracket 8 at point 51.

The supplementary or additional first circuit enters at terminal 59 and is grounded to the instrument frame and passes through the frame to switch point 42 and out through 43, when relay is inactive, to wire 40 and terminal 45. When the relay is activated this connection is broken at 42-43 and the same current is directed down arm 30 through point 34 to l9 which will be in contact due to magnetic attraction of coil 2 on core bar I2 and thence along wire 22 to terminal 23.

The second circuit enters at terminal 54 which will pass up wire 53 to brush bracket 49 and brush 4'! to insulated projected end in trunnion, companion of 46 in trunnion 33, which is connected to wire 3'! and thence to 38, thence to 39, when relay is inactive, out through wire 44 to terminal 44a and this circuit is broken when relay is activated.

The third circuit enters terminal 56 wire 55 to brush 46 through insulated projected end 46 of trunnion 33 down wire 36 to point 35 from 35 to point 20, when relay is activated, out through wire 24 to terminal 25. This circuit remains open when relay is inactive.

The path of magnetic forces set up by current passin through the electromagnetic coil from wires i3 and I5 i directed to the stationary switch contacts at the opposite ends of the core bar, which pulls the armatures and their contacts to close the two switches, and then the magnetic force flows through the conducting frame 262l' completing a continuous flow of magnetic force.

As the armature switches are thus closed the two counterweighted circuit breakers 3839 and 43-43 are simultaneously opened thereby breaking the flow of current entering and passing through them.

When the current is cut off from the electromagnet and its core is de-energized, the magnetic attraction is Withdrawn from the armatures of the core switches, their contacts are separated by the overbalancin weight of the armature heads; and this same automatic movement of the operating arms also closes the two circuit makers 38-39 and 42-43 which remain closed While the coil is inactive.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a relay as described, the combination with a magnetic frame, a first pair of spaced switch contact terminals mounted on the frame, a pair of spaced armatures each having two arm portions, each of said armatures having insulated trunnions journalled in the frame, a conducting member carried by at least one trunnion of each armature, a conducting brush pivotally mounted in position for contact with each conducting member, and resilient means for retaining the brushes in contact with the conducting members, an electromagnetic coil having an enclosed core rigid with the frame, a second pair of switch contact terminal mounted at the ends of the core, said armatures bein positioned so that one armature has an arm portion over-lying the other end of the core, and complementary switch contacts mounted in the lower ends of the arms, and a pair of circuit breaking contacts mounted on a second arm portion of each armature for coaction with the stationary switch contact terminals on the frame.

2. In a relay as described, the combination with 5 nion of each armature, a conducting brush pivotally mounted in position for contact with each conducting member and the resilient means for retaining the brushes in contact with the conducting members, an electromagnetic coil having an enclosed core rigid with the frame, a second pair of switch contact terminals mounted at the ends of the core, said armatures being positioned so that one armature has an arm portion overlying one end of the core and the other armature has an arm portion overlying the other end of the core, and complementar switch contacts mounted in the arms, and a pair of circuit breaking contacts mounted on a second arm portion of each armature for coaction with the stationary switch contact terminals on the frame.

HUBERT PERKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 618,812 Cartwright Jan. 31, 1899 761,490 Hollins May 31, 1904 897,692 Whitehorne Sept. 1, 1908 1,842,781 Halsey Jan, 26, 1932 1,863,836 Derby et al June 21, 1932 2,209,382 Blattner July 30, 1940 

